Late Great IL & WI Racing Legend Featured On American Pickers

During a recent episode of American Pickers, they visited the home of a late racing hall of fame who was a legend in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Remembering Kevin Olson An Illinois And Wisconsin Racing Legend 

I've been very lucky during my radio career to have met some amazing people. One person who made a big impact on me is Kevin Olson. He was a Rockford area guy who became a racing legend across the country including Illinois and Wisconsin. He made my first and only experience at the Indianapolis 500 special.

READ MORE: Kevin Olson Shares Stories About His Career And Life

If you're not familiar with Kevin Olson, he raced for 51 years and was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1997 and the United State Auto Club Hall of Fame in 2016. He was a mentor to drivers like Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon. Unfortunately, he lost his life in a car crash back in February of 2022.

Rockford Register Star

Kevin was a regular on my radio show for many years. I crossed his path back when Danica Patrick was just getting started and he would give updates on the Roscoe native's career. At that time, he worked for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network.

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American Pickers Episode Features Racing Hall Of Famer The Late Kevin Olson

Kevin Olson was a big collector. Before his death, he had moved to Wisconsin and built a barn to display all the memorabilia from his career. American Pickers heard about the collection so for the new season they took a trip to check it out. The place will blow your mind with all the cool stuff.

If you missed the premiere, don't worry because you know it will be on several times. I'm sure you can find the episode on the internet or streaming platforms too. This isn't the first time American Pickers had a Rockford connection. They previously filmed at Revers Marina and the Burpee Museum for Rick's Picks (the collection from Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick.)

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